Tempting the Dragon (2 page)

“I agree,” Amber chimed in with an arch look and a frown.

“I’m sorry,” he began, focusing his attention on the woman he most wanted to speak with. Jade.

Face once again downcast as she cut up the chicken on her salad, Jade didn’t acknowledge his presence. The rigid set of her delicate shoulders spoke volumes of her disapproval.

He didn’t exactly blame her. Still, time was short and courtesy warred with necessity. “Darlin’, I just need a few seconds,” he began. “One quick question. Maybe two.”

“Please go.” Jade’s request, though delivered in a voice as smooth as silk, made the other two women freeze. “You may come by the house later if you’d like, but right now, we’re going to have our lunch. And you’re going to leave. Now.”

“I’m...” To his complete shock, he felt his body begin to back away without him moving it. His legs and feet were not under his control. Like a puppet maneuvered by invisible strings, he traveled toward the doorway, his hand even coming up to grasp the handle to open the door before continuing outside. It was the damnedest thing.

Witch.
Now the elderly man’s words made sense. Sort of. He wasn’t entirely sure he believed in witches. At least, he hadn’t until this.

Finally, once he’d traveled half a block down the sidewalk, the compulsion released him and he nearly fell. Heart pounding, he stood stock-still, examining his hands and stomping his feet, just to be certain he could.

“A witch, huh?” Mystified and more than a little intrigued, he knew he’d definitely stop by their house later. As soon as he found out where exactly it might be. This witch angle might make an even better story than a fictional lake monster.

* * *

With her heart still beating way too fast, Jade Burnett took a deep breath. She reached up and took her Guardian necklace in between her fingers, a gesture that never failed to bring her comfort. “It was him,” she said, full of both giddy anticipation and, oddly enough, a nameless sadness. “The photographer who interrupted our lunch. I don’t know how, but I knew I’d meet that man someday. I kept seeing him in my dreams.” She blushed, aware she couldn’t tell them the sexual nature of those dreams. “I’d know him anywhere.”

Both of the older women simultaneously raised their elegant brows.

“He was a handsome devil,” Opal mused. “Those eyes—gray? Silver? They were unusual. He seemed a bit cocky and maybe even overconfident, though I like them that way myself.”

Jade could feel her face heat. “Me, too,” she admitted. The curse of her family’s uncommon beauty meant she’d need a man who could be strong enough to resist her. Plus with all the silly (and hurtful) rumors about her in town, any man who’d be willing to date her would have to have enough self-assurance to ignore them.

Her mother and her grandmother exchanged amused glances.

“You want him, don’t you, dear?” Opal asked.

Jade nodded. “Inexplicably, I do. I have, ever since I saw him in my dreams.”

“Then why’d you send him away?” Amber complained. “You know I want grandchildren. So far, you’ve done nothing to make me think I’ll ever have them.”

Though this was an old argument, Jade’s blush deepened. Children. She wanted kids of her own someday, too. Ruthless, she quashed down the quick flare of hope at the thought. “Please,” she murmured. “I just met him. Let’s enjoy our lunch. I’m sure he’ll show up at the house soon enough.”

Her mother nodded. “I hope you’ve been practicing your flirting skills because you’ll need to do something to keep him distracted.” It went without saying that Jade must protect Libby, the shape-shifting beast who lived in Forestwood Lake, from the prying eyes of outsiders. Especially a photojournalist.

Flirting skills. Right.
Miraculously, Jade managed not to snort out loud. Instead, she dug in to her salad.

Finally, silence reigned while everyone focused on eating.

The house. Her home... Jade tried to picture the handsome man who’d visited her numerous times in her dreams actually being there physically. The thought made her shiver. She wondered if the house would accept him, then shook off the thought. Sometimes she thought of her family’s ancestral home as a living entity rather than just a building.

Stranger things had certainly happened. Hers was a family of shape-shifting werewolves who were Guardians to a mystical lake creature named Libby. Jade was the current Guardian, and ever since she’d been chosen, she occasionally happened to have the odd magical power. Her family turned a blind eye to these, preferring to pretend they didn’t exist, unlike the townspeople, who loved to watch and gossip.

Almost all of the town knew about Libby. Forestwood was made up of both Pack—shape-shifters who became wolves when they changed—and humans. The shape-shifters, like the rest of the Burnetts, preferred to ignore the magic. The humans, who had no idea that such a thing as shape-shifters even existed, accepted the fact of Burnett magic and considered Jade a witch. They appeared to be well aware that only Libby’s current Guardian had small magical powers.

They apparently were surprisingly okay with that. Sure, there was a lot of gossip and rumors. Women hated her due to her beauty, while men desired her. And made up odd, hurtful stories about her imagined sexual prowess.

None of it mattered, or so Jade told herself when a particular rumor caused her pain. The only matter of any importance was the way the entire town of Forestwood had silently pledged over the years to keep their lake creature a secret from outsiders. Jade more than anyone else appreciated that, since as Libby’s caretaker it made her job easier.

Except someone had apparently broken their pledge. Otherwise, how would the photojournalist have heard about her?

After lunch, everyone piled into Jade’s bright green SUV and they headed home. The sunlight shone through the vibrant green trees, dappling the ground with yellow. As she drove the winding roads heading home, Jade found herself holding her breath the same way she always did as she waited for the first sight of her family home.

Burnett House sat perched up on a hill, high enough to appear sitting sentinel over the entire town. Ancient trees cradled the Victorian-style structure and the corner lot had been fenced long ago with wrought iron. The original house had been built in 1803 by one of her ancestors, Floyd Burnett, who’d made it big in the steel industry. The Burnett family had lovingly occupied and taken care of the place, keeping it freshly painted and updated with the latest plumbing and wiring, not to mention granite countertops and modern appliances. The house had been featured in several magazines over the years.

Despite having lived there her entire life, the sight of the huge two-story home never failed to take Jade’s breath away.

“Almost there,” Amber chirped. Aware of Jade’s admiration of their home, the entire family always watched for her reaction. They found it fascinating, Opal had once told her. The rarity of a Burnett with such strong ties to the house could only be a good thing, especially since ancient lore believed the Guardian’s powers came from there.

Jade wasn’t so sure about that. She tended to believe power came from within. Also, she felt it had something to do with Libby, her charge. Otherwise, why would only the current Guardian be gifted?

One more curve, and there it was. Bathed in yellow warmth from the sun, at this time of day the house appeared to actually glow. Smiling dreamily, Jade sighed with pleasure as she pulled into the driveway. It was a good thing she loved this place so much. Because she, like all the women who’d been given the title of Libby’s caretaker, had been cursed to die if they ever tried to leave. Only the Guardians had to remain—the other women were free to come and go as they pleased.

Or so legend had it. There had been numerous stories over the years. Jade wasn’t entirely certain she believed them. Mostly, she tried not to think about it. While she didn’t like the idea of being trapped, she couldn’t imagine herself making a life anywhere else but Forestwood.

“Here we are,” Jade said as she parked, ignoring her family’s delighted expression as they watched her. Her heart skipped a beat as she wondered when she’d see the handsome stranger from the café. Unable to help herself, she furtively looked around for another car. Seeing none, she relaxed a little, though she still felt on edge.

She couldn’t shake the sense that things were about to change. Her life, most specifically. She could only hope this would be a good thing.

Chapter 2

O
nce inside the large house, her mother and her grandmother scattered. One of the other reasons Jade loved her home so much was its size. Not only the various hallways and rooms, but the hidden compartments and tunnels had always ensured the one seeking solitude had a place to hide.

Jade had taken advantage of that when she’d been younger. These days, her younger twin sisters, Pearl and Sapphire, were the ones who often hid from the constant noisiness of the family.

Currently, there was only one man in residence—Sam Burnett, Opal’s husband and Jade’s grandfather. These days, due to his worsening dementia, he mostly stayed in his room with the aide the family had hired to look after him. On his more lucid days, Sam would announce to anyone who would listen that he considered himself lucky. He’d always claimed Opal’s first name, which followed the Burnett tradition of naming their women after gemstones, had been a sign that she was his mate.

He was lucky to find her, the rest of the family had always thought. Lucky to have been one of the few men who’d managed to live in the house. Probably because he’d been born a Burnett. Men who’d married into the Burnett family frequently died an early death or the marriage ended in divorce. Most couldn’t deal with the Burnett women’s amazing beauty. More than one bitter divorce had resulted from a Burnett female attracting far more attention than her husband could handle.

And then there were those, like Jade’s father, who hadn’t even attempted to marry a Burnett.

Her aunt Emerald, never named Guardian, had married and moved out, though she and her husband, Jack, and their daughter still lived in Forestwood. Jade saw her cousin Di often enough, though Di’s brother, Jack Jr., had moved to California as soon as he graduated high school. He’d never returned, not even at Christmas or Thanksgiving.

The only ones who couldn’t leave the house were the Guardians. Or so Jade had been told. Like her mother before her, as long as Jade took care of Libby, if she were to marry, her husband would have to agree to reside here. Jade didn’t know too many men—okay, none, other than her grandfather, who was related—who would agree to live in a rambling old house with a bunch of women.

Travel could be prohibitive for those chosen. Even before she’d officially assumed the title of Guardian, but after Libby had named her Amber’s successor, Jade had only gone away once, back in high school during spring break with her friends. In two days she’d become violently ill, and not from alcohol consumption. Her mother had been dispatched to collect her. Once Jade had arrived back home, she instantly felt better. After that, Jade simply stayed put.

These days it was Pearl and Sapphire who were chafing to go on a grand adventure of their own. They were only seventeen, the same age as Jade when she took her ill-advised spring break trip. Since Libby hadn’t mentioned wanting Jade to pass on the mantle to either of them yet, Jade figured they were safe. At least for now, until Libby decided she needed a new Guardian.

The only thing missing, as far as Jade was concerned, was a dog. Her grandmother claimed to be allergic to all pets, so they’d never had any. The longing for a dog was one of the reasons Jade had opened her business, a doggy day care called Dogs Off Leash. DOL, for short.

Jade headed for the kitchen, which was one of her favorite rooms in the house. Her aunt was visiting and, as she often did because she claimed to enjoy the feel of dough under her hands, she was baking bread. The heavenly smell made Jade’s mouth water. Emerald was one of the few talented cooks in the family. When her husband and kids got on her nerves, she frequently showed up and worked out her frustration by baking. Jade loved to be around when Auntie Em visited.

“Hello, dear.” Her aunt held out her arms, wrapping Jade in a mist of perfume and flour. “Did you ladies have a nice lunch?”

“We did.” Jade smiled. “Do you need any help?” she asked. Auntie Em never did, but simply asking was enough to earn a bit of whatever treat she’d made.

This time was no exception. Beaming, her aunt handed her a slice of fresh-baked bread with a dot of creamy butter. After giving her thanks, Jade carried her prize from the warm kitchen and out to the front porch, where she could enjoy it in peace.

She sat down on the wooden swing—her favorite place to sit and watch the world pass by, and took a bite of bread. Soft and fragrant, the white bread contained hints of cheese, onion and herbs and melted on her tongue. She chewed slowly, wanting to savor every single bite. She might even have let out a quiet moan of pleasure.

“You eat that like you’re making love to it,” a dry, masculine voice drawled.

Instantly, she froze, even though every nerve ending flared to life as his voice and words resonated with her.
Him.
Just like that, her entire body felt energized and taut.
Making love.
An ache seized her as she dared to let herself imagine—for a second—what it would be like to make love with him.

Damn.

Refusing to let him see how much he rattled her, she concentrated on her bread and took another bite while she tried to do her best to pretend he hadn’t startled her. She chewed deliberately, ignoring him until she’d swallowed.

Slowly, she let her gaze come up to meet his. Again, she felt the sting of desire, a sharp tug of attraction, immediate and undeniable. Her breath caught in her throat, but she let herself study him, aware she needed to size him up unclouded by memories of those dreams.

And what dreams they had been. Her blood heated as she remembered the sensual and provocative images.

Mouth curling in amusement, he stood there while she let her gaze slowly drift over him, up and down, from the top of his dark and shaggy hair to his worn, faded sneakers. His insolent gray eyes gleamed with amusement, and maybe a hint of desire. He had a craggy, handsome face, rugged and masculine. Muscles rippled under his flannel shirt, making her mouth grow dry. The confidence he wore like a shield gave him a powerful, nonchalant appearance. Despite his quiet manner, he radiated sensuality, making her feel a bit like a helpless moth drawn toward a flame. Even so, she sensed an air of isolation around him.

“Are you done?” he drawled. “Because now it’s my turn.”

Instantly, her face heated. She pretended a sudden interest in taking another bite of bread, chewing and managing to swallow even though she felt his gaze like a whisper-touch on her skin.

Normal, she reminded herself. She had to appear normal.

“You didn’t come up the front path,” she commented once she’d swallowed, her voice overly bright. “There’s no way you could have or I would have seen you.”

“I did, but after I knocked on the front door and got no answer, I went around to the back. The lady baking bread in the kitchen directed me back up front here to find you. And yes, she did let me try a taste of her bread.”

Surprised, she glanced up. As she did, he smiled at her. The masculine power of his smile made her entire body tingle. This struck her momentarily speechless and all she could do was stare.

Luckily, she had a little left of her slice of bread to focus on. She took another bite, a big one, the last one, intending to savor it. Instead, the soft bread stuck to the roof of her mouth when she swallowed and she nearly choked. Still, she managed to get it down.

He quietly watched while she coughed and wiped her eyes.

“Are you all right?” he finally asked, the husky drawl in his voice making her think of the overwhelming heat of Texas summers.

She continued to cough, trying not to snort or hack too much, until she could catch her breath. All she could do was wave her hand at him to wait. Finally, she had herself back under control. Gathering what was left of her shredded dignity around her, she stood and met his gaze. “I swallowed wrong. You can be a bit overwhelming.”

He grinned, making her regret her admission. “Coming from a woman who looks like you, I’ll take that as a compliment.”

Her own lips curled up in the beginning of a smile. “Touché. Now tell me, why are you here?”

“Because you invited me,” he replied.

“Only to keep you from peppering us with questions at lunch,” she countered. She should have been annoyed, but wasn’t. And he knew it, she could tell. The glint in his gray eyes told her he was accustomed to using his charm to get his own way.

“My apologies.” That Southern drawl had a way of reaching inside her and curling around her entire being. “Speaking of lunch, what exactly did you do to make me move?”

Briefly, she considered batting her own eyelashes. Instead, she went for a steady gaze. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“You do realize I’m a photojournalist, right? I told you that earlier, didn’t I?”

She nodded.

“Well, when a journalist has questions and everyone stonewalls him, that only intrigues him even more.”

He had a point. Disconcerted, she swallowed. “All right. You said you had questions. What exactly do you need to know?”

“First, start by telling me how you made me move outside of the restaurant. It felt sort of like being pushed by an invisible hand.”

For some reason, she found this amusing. From the intent way he watched her, he’d see if she tried to hide a smile, so she didn’t bother. “Around town, they call me a witch. Maybe now you can understand why.”

“I’ve heard that. Are you? A witch, I mean?”

To his credit, he didn’t sound at all disconcerted.

“Not really,” she finally admitted. “But you know how people talk. I have a few...abilities. Occasionally. Not many, and they’re unreliable, so I can’t really count on them.”

As a shape-shifter, he shouldn’t be surprised. He knew magic existed—otherwise every shape-shifter would be in trouble. But he’d never met a real life witch before.

“I can tell from your aura that you’re a shape-shifter,” she began.

“Ditto.” He narrowed his eyes. “Look, I’ll cut to the chase. I’m here because I’m doing a report on lake monsters. You know, like the Loch Ness monster, but in North America. There have been several reported around the United States and Canada. The one in Forestwood Lake came up several times, so I took a chance and traveled here to find out what I could learn.”

Monsters.
Libby despised that word. And for good reason. Resisting the urge to defend her charge, Jade tilted her head, wishing she had one more bit of bread left. She felt confident no one in town would have told him anything. They were all united in protecting Libby. “And what did you find out?”

“Nothing, nada, zip. Like I mentioned at lunch, no one will talk to me. The only response I got was to ask the Burnetts. Which would be you, right?”

“That would be me,” she agreed, flashing her sweetest smile and feeling a swift stab of pleasure in his quick intake of breath. Might as well fight fire with fire. She knew how to use charm, too. “Honestly, though. If I did know anything—and I’m not saying I do—what makes you think I would confide in a total stranger?”

He shook his head, appearing unimpressed. “Honey, answering a question with another question isn’t going to make me forget I asked. If you won’t tell me about your lake monster, can you please point me to one of your relatives who will?”

Ignoring the thrill at his no doubt unintentional endearment—with a Southern accent like that, he probably called everyone
honey
or
sugar
or something—she shifted uneasily in her seat. While there wasn’t some kind of rule forbidding talk about Libby, her family also had a kind of tacit understanding the topic was off-limits to strangers.

Which this man, no matter how handsome, was.

“I’m a photojournalist,” he reminded her. “The fact that everyone keeps putting me off just makes me want to dig deeper.”

Nodding, she considered. Since they were both shifters, though she had no idea what he became when he changed, he’d know there were rules governing not revealing anything like this to humans. In other words, he couldn’t do it. As a shape-shifting wolf, she was Pack. The Pack was the largest group of shape-shifters and their wolves outnumbered all the other animals combined.

Pack Protectors policed this policy and the repercussions were severe. Maybe he reported for some internal magazine or newspaper, meant only to be viewed by their own kind. Though she’d never heard of such a thing, it could exist.

Still, she needed to know. “You say you’re a photojournalist. Who do you work for?”

A flash of surprise registered in his handsome face. “You’ve never heard of me?”

Tilting her head, she studied him. “Apparently not. What was your name again?”

“Rance Sleighter.”

“Nope, I haven’t heard of you. Should I have?”

He grinned. “I guess I deserved that. I used to work for
National Geographic
magazine. These days, I freelance.”

“For the general public?” she persisted.

“If you mean humans, yes. I also have done photo spreads for shifter magazines as well as a few vampire ones. Basically, whoever is willing to pay me.”

“And this story? The reason you’re here? Who is it for?”

A shadow crossed his face, so quickly she might have imagined it. “A friend,” he said. “Someone very close to me.”

Then maybe, just maybe, this wasn’t so bad. Yet shifter or not, she wasn’t sure she wanted to share Libby with outsiders.

“Let me speak with my family,” she said, merely to stall him. She’d have to call a family meeting to figure out how to best deal with this. “Can you come back another day?”

He eyed her. “Tomorrow?”

“I don’t know. I’m not sure I can round everyone up that early.”

At this, he took a step closer. Close enough for her to smell the light masculine scent of whatever soap he used. “You make it sound like you need to call a board meeting. I’m just asking questions about a lake monster, not wanting to purchase stock in the town’s largest business.”

Chin up, she nodded, keeping her tone as dignified as she could, especially with the way her entire body heated every time she looked at him. “I completely understand. But I still need to speak with my family.”